Past, Present
by omggcece
Summary: "Let's not think about all the time wasted. That just wastes more time." / How Sam and Cat finally end up together.


a/n: don't even really like this show but this plot has been stuck in my head

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_"Hey, watch where you're going!"_

Sam rolled her eyes, trying not to let her anger get the best of her. This wasn't the first time she had been late for work, and getting fired was a real possibility. Jobs were getting harder and harder to find; L.A. was a super busy place, with an overwhelming amount of people just like her, trying to get by.

She gritted her teeth and gripped her motorcycle even tighter, as if that would make it go any faster. It had been years, so many years, since Spencer gave it to her, and Sam used it every day. What would she do when her only form of transportation was gone? That was something Sam chose not to think about.

_Damn. A red light. Of course._

There was a lot of things Sam chose not to think about. Her old life in Seattle, what would've happened if Carly never left for Italy, would iCarly have turned in to something bigger...

...Something bigger that would've kept her from becoming a _bartender_.

What Cat was up to nowadays. How college life was going for her. If Cat, that idiot, even managed to stay in college for more than five minutes. Sam actually let out a _growl _thinking about the last time she'd seen Cat in person. Cat going to college made absolutely no sense to Sam. They're babysitting business was successful...they had a great thing going on...

_Green light. Finally._

Sam shook off all of her thoughts about the past. She was going to need to be focused and patient - if that was even possible for someone like her - to deal with the drunks that liked to dump all of their problems on the poor bartender.

* * *

"Late again, Ms. Puckett!" The only other bartender on staff, the bane of Sam's existence, smirked. "Unlike you I got here on time. I've been tending to all these thirsty customers all by myself!" The other bartender - Lori - flipped her hair over her shoulder and cackled. Seriously _cackled._

That's how Sam knew she had matured over the years. Young Sam would've cracked Lori's jaw, not giving a single thought to the consequences of her actions. Older Sam knew better. Of course, she still had her fists clenched and was trying her hardest not to start shaking with anger...there was some things that don't change. Her anger is one of those things.

Sam quickly got to work pouring bottles. It was funny how easily she fell into routine. Sam hated change...despised it...but she'd do anything to forget Cat freaking Valentine. Why did Cat, with her soft voice, air-headed ways, and red hair ("the color of the red velvet cupcakes") manage to grow on her? She should hate Cat. But, she didn't hate Cat. Instead she had weird feelings about Cat.

When Cat hugged her, she didn't want her to let go. Sam hates hugging, but there was something about being in Cat's arms that made her feel comforted. Or when they laid next to each other and Sam had the urge to snuggle a bit closer. Or when Cat gave her little affectionate pecks on the cheek and nuzzled into her neck and gave a bit of a _purr _when she petted her, like she really _was _a cat.

"...What would you do?"

Sam suddenly ended her flashbacks and returned to present day, annoyed to realize some nerd had been talking to her for a while and was under the impression she was listening. Dumb ass.

"Can you repeat the question?" Sam asked in her fakest, sweetest voice as she slid another drink to the man. He didn't protest.

"My girlfriend," he reached into his pocket and placed a wad of bills on the bar, "she's been acting weird. Well, weirder than usual."

He was slurring every word he said, and Sam noticed how he was swaying like he was about to fall off the bar stool. Sam examined the money he had just practically threw at her. _$50. Has to be rich. _She frowned, trying to shake off the bit of guilt she had that she kept on giving him drinks. He was rich! He could easily get a cab.

"I think she's bisexual."

Sam tried not to laugh. "...So?"

She poured two drinks. One was for her. She was going to need it to listen this.

"I came over to Cat's house one day, to surprise her, and there was this girl...she didn't have on a shirt. Her and Cat-"

"Your girlfriend is named _Cat?_"

"Yeah. Anyways, Cat said they were comparing breast sizes, and I was wondering if that's a thing girls do or..."

Sam couldn't help it; she let out the harsh bark of laughter she had been holding in. Poured another drink. "Trust me, curly hair, girls definitely do not do that. Do I know you?" Sam could tell she was starting to feel the effects of the drinks she'd had. _Yes. _She had stopped giving the man drinks, though. Sam was dying to know more about his girlfriend. She was confident it was _her _Cat he was talking about - only she would say something like 'We were just comparing breast sizes, dear!'

"Probably not. I'm Robbie. Me and my puppet -"

"Yeah, I don't care. Listen, Cat is definitely cheating on you. Dump her, move on." Sam said bluntly. She vaguely remembered meeting some creepy puppet guy, but how in the world did Cat end up with someone like _him_? Cat was way out of this Robbie guy's league.

Robbie probably would've looked crushed if he had been sober, but since he was drunk -

"Come with me. For moral support," Robbie asked in the most pitiful, pathetic voice Sam had ever heard.

"Sorry, man, but mama's got to work to pay the bills!"

Robbie pulled out another fat wad of money. "I'll pay you!"

Sam's eyes widened. Lori, who had been watching this exchange in between serving customers, gasped.

"...Alright lover boy let's go!"

* * *

If Sam had been sober she wouldn't have went to 'help' Robbie break up with her weird, not-a-crush-but-maybe-a-crush, and 'helping' someone break up with their significant other is really going to sound bizarre no matter how you spin it.

But, Sam wasn't sober, so there she was sitting in a cab next to this Robbie guy.

"You know, I've had crushes and boyfriends before," Sam slurred, "but I think it's time I had a girlfriend. I'm sick of guys. They're so _stupid_."

Robbie didn't object. "You should get with my girlfriend...or I guess, my ex-girlfriend, since she's c-cheating on me." Robbie looked as if he was going to cry.

Sam snorted.

* * *

"Hi, Robbie! I've been waiting - _Sam? _What are you doing here? I - "

Cat stopped talking when Robbie slammed the door shut, noticing the serious expression on his face. Sam had a goofy smile on her face. "'M moral support," Sam mumbled.

"You're cheating on me, aren't you?" Robbie jabbed a finger into Cat's chest, swaying slightly.

Cat bit down hard on her bottom lip, and she lightly pushed Robbie's finger away. "...I'm sorry!" Cat started playing with the hem of her sweater. "I told you that I didn't like you like that, but you kept on chasing me, and you're so nice, and I didn't want to hurt you!"

Robbie frowned, taking a shaky step back. "Me and..."

"Sam," Cat said, helping Robbie finish his sentence. Robbie glared at her.

"Me and Sam are leaving!" Robbie marched out the door, not realizing Sam was still standing in the middle of Cat's living room, with no intention of leaving.

The door slammed shut, the last sound before Sam and Cat were left with an awkward silence.

"So you're into girls?" Sam asked, a weird little smirk/grin/smile thing forming on her face.

"W-well, they're so cute, and have all of those nice curves..."

Sam started closing the space between her and Cat. "Well mama has been thinking about a girl herself...a cute little kitty cat..."

Cat grabbed Sam by the shoulders. "You're under the influence! What you say now you might not mean later! You should sleep here tonight," Cat said softly. This definitely wasn't how she envisioned finally seeing Sam again...

* * *

Sam woke up with a killer headache. Bits and pieces of last night she could remember, but thinking was causing her some serious pain at the moment. For a second she thinks she has to be dreaming because there's Cat, snuggled up to her, running a comforting hand up and down her back. If Sam wasn't Sam, if she was some other girl, someone super dainty she probably would have caressed Cat or something equally cheesy but she's Sam Puckett. So she ignores the pain in her head and pushes Cat away from her.

There was 6 missed calls on her phone, all from Lori. There was only one text:

_I'm going to steal this motorcycle! I ain't got money for a cab. You'll have to find me to get it back, Puckett :)_

__If Sam didn't have such a horrible hangover...if Sam wasn't worrying about how Cat was awake now, watching her with a blank look on her face...if Sam wasn't feeling like she was going to have some type of attack any minute soon, she would have left Cat's and headed over to Lori's to finally beat the shit out of that bitch.

But she was done running away and letting her powerful - to powerful - emotions control her life.

"Sam..."

"Let me talk." Sam took a deep breath. Cat had gotten up from the bed now. "I know that guy with the curly hair - whatever his name is, I can't remember - broke up with you like, not even 24 hours ago but...me, you. That should be a thing."

Cat was silent for a really long time. Long enough for Sam's brain to start screaming "Abort! Abort!" Long enough for Sam starting to get convinced Cat is thinking of the nicest way to reject her. Long enough for...

"Yay!"

Cat threw herself into Sam's arms, kissing her everywhere.

"I liked you...but...I just didn't have...I couldn't..."

"I understand," Sam replied breathlessly, "let's not think about all of the time we've wasted. All that does is waste more time. We've got to make up for all that."

Sam and Cat smiled at each other, and for that day the only thing that mattered was the two of them.

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a/n: yeah, i don't know. this plotbunny just wouldn't leave me alone


End file.
